


Day Three - Fairytale AU

by thestairwell



Series: Instructions for Dancing [3]
Category: Glee
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fairy Tale Elements, Klaine Week, M/M, Quests, prince!Blaine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-16
Updated: 2013-03-16
Packaged: 2017-12-21 07:57:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/897838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thestairwell/pseuds/thestairwell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Kurt goes on a quest and rediscovers the love of his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Day Three - Fairytale AU

**Author's Note:**

> I am so, so sorry I'm late for three of the days. I don't particularly want to relive it so I'll just say that the last few days of been Not Good (or Very, Very Not Good, depending on how much you like _Doctor Who_ ) and it just completely sucked away all motivation to write or even turn on my laptop. I've mostly spent the last few days trying to beat my best times for random games on my phone. Luckily for you (maybe?), this means you'll get four updates today! They're basically all written and I'll be publishing them each roughly three hours apart. (Definitely) lucky for you (and me), this one's longer than the others, hooray!

The next time Kurt saw Rachel, he was going to attach a leash to her and then tie the other end to a post in her garden like a dog – if she wasn't getting lost chasing fairies in the woods, she was apparently getting kidnapped by evil warlocks for some likely nefarious purposes. Quite honestly, Kurt suspected she just liked the attention; once again, the full council had gathered, and they were trying to figure out how to get her back. Obviously, a quest was in order, even if they were only a relatively small village and no one was Royal. The most obvious quester was Rachel's fiancé and Kurt's step-brother, Finn, but . . .

"Absolutely not!" raged Schoolmaster Schuester. "He'll get himself killed at the first obstacle!" He sent a sideways glance at Finn, who was red-cheeked and looking steadily at the floor in embarrassment. "No offense, Finn."

"But no one else is eligible," said Councilman Figgins. "It's simply inappropriate for the young people to be unchaperoned and, as the two are betrothed, it is Master Hudson's duty to rescue Miss Berry."

The of-age village members began arguing up a storm again, split fairly evenly between whether Two-Left-Feet Finn should be the one to rescue Rachel.

"They make more noise than a gaggle of geese," Kurt grumbled to Mercedes. "And less sense."

His best friend pressed a hand over her mouth to both stifle and hide her laughter. "I think we should just let her stay gone this time – I can finally wake up later than the crack of dawn to her incessant singing."

They watched the proceedings in amusement for a few minutes more, quietly taking bets on which council member would snap first, until Kurt rolled his eyes. "Oh, spirits, this is just getting ridiculous. Wish me luck, Honey."

"Kurt, what—?"

He stood up, cutting her off, and took advantage of his and Rachel's singing practice to project over the squabbling, "I'll go."

The silence was not immediate, but the noise very quickly faded. As the entire grown population of his village stared, Kurt just kept looking at Head Councilwoman Sylvester.

"I volunteer myself to go on this quest."

"And why should we even consider it?" she asked. "You look far too delicate and pasty to last a week."

"With all due respect, Head Councilwoman, I've been hunting since I was eight years old and working on the land even longer; I have gone on several days-long excursions in the woods; there is no reason for any inappropriate activities as my preference is to other males, and Rachel and I would on many occasions find circumstances in which we'd be alone together after she marries my brother. Also," he added with a smirk, "I am one of the few men who is able to fix my own clothing should I fall into any bramble patches."

The councilwoman stared at him, and the entire hall seemed to hold its breath. Kurt's heart pounded in his throat and he resisted the urge to look away. Eventually, she nodded.

"Approved."

The village hall burst into cacophony once again. Kurt just sat down and avoided his loved ones' worried eyes.

*

Since they didn't know for how long Rachel would be safe (in other words, alive) and she had been taken for almost four hours by the time the meeting was over, Kurt didn't have much time to pack. While his stepmother prepared a sack of non-perishables, his stepbrother got in the way by continuously apologising and his father hovered, Kurt gathered a bag of the various items he would need on his journey.

"Now, you be careful," Carole fussed once everything was ready. "Don't get yourself killed, okay?"

Kurt had no idea how to defeat a warlock.

"I'll do my best," he promised with the confident smile he'd learnt from his childhood best friend, and he gave her a hug. Next was Finn, and then Mercedes, and she was followed by a handful more of his old school friends. Finally, he stood in front of his dad. Kurt was expecting maybe a small speech, hoping for a tip or trick for going up against a magical being; his father grabbed him in a hug and held him close as if to stop him from going.

"I love you, Son," he said. It was somehow better and more final than farewell.

"I love you too, Dad."

The council stood at the line of the forest. The villagers filled the streets behind him; some were crying, all were silent and somber as a funeral march.

Kurt squared his shoulders and didn't look back.

*

The first few hours felt almost like a solitary hunting trip. It was quiet but for the sounds of nature and a little boring, but the latter was easily combated by singing.

Only when night fell did Kurt feel the difference; he had never slept alone in the woods before, and because of his need to travel light, he had brought only a blanket and sleeping mat. He felt far too vulnerable in the open on his own, jerking awake at every sound, and when the sun began to rise he was barely rested at all.

Over the next two days, Kurt very quickly became tired and irritable, and as the need to ration his food grew, he became quite hungry as well.

He was given blessed hope on the fourth day of his travels when he stumbled across a man-made road. It wasn't the kind of road which supposedly surrounded the Royal City, nor cobbled like the streets in the small towns near Kurt's village; really, it was nothing more than a wide, glorified footpath, but it meant nearby civilisation nonetheless, and Kurt hurried along it with renewed jubilation.

A few hours later, he reached an inn. It was bustling, surrounded by people and horses, but Kurt's step didn't falter until he realised that the people were all armoured men and the horses were decorated with purple bird banners: they were King's Knights.

Kurt steeled himself and kept moving forward. King's Knights were the usual envoy for a travelling Royal or Noble, but there was a slight chance that they were on their way to pick someone up. At the very least, Kurt would be able to barter a hot meal.

Roughly twenty metres from the entrance, three Knights stopped Kurt's progress.

"Do you work here?" asked the Knight in the centre. Kurt replied in the negative. "Civilians are not allowed to approach the building. Alternative sleeping has been arranged."

"In case you didn't notice through those thick helmets, I have my own sleeping arrangements."

"Then continue on your journey."

"I was hoping to be allowed a hot meal, and maybe a bath. Though I don't imagine you would know anything about travelling rough," Kurt snarked, eyeing the elegant carriage and fine horses around the stables.

"We cannot grant you access to the building."

Whatever irritation had left Kurt upon the discovery of the road was now back tenfold, and it overpowered any sense of self-preservation. "I have been travelling for four days by foot and on my own. All I want is a hot bath and a delicious meal before I am undoubtedly killed rescuing my step-brother's fiancée from an evil warlock, so why don't you let me ask whichever spoilt Royal you're babysitting and—"

"Is there a problem out here?"

"No, Your Royal Highness," answered the three Knights in unison, turning and parting to reveal . . . Kurt's first best friend. He was older, taller, more muscular, (more handsome,) certainly, but it was Blaine nonetheless, and Kurt's heart raced with anger and betrayal.

"A civilian—" began one of the Knights with a gesture to Kurt which drew Blaine's attention to him. Emotions flitted over Blaine's face, too quickly to identify any, but eventually the young man stepped forward with a joyous, "Kurt!" and his arms coming forward as if to touch him.

Kurt didn't realise he'd slapped him until his hand was stinging and the Knights had forced him to the ground.

*

Kurt poked moodily at his dinner. The few bites he'd taken were delicious and his stomach clamoured for more but he found it difficult to enjoy sitting across the table from his old friend. Even after Kurt had slapped him, Blaine had quickly made the Knights let him up and invited him inside the inn. He'd called for the best dish to be served to both of them in his room and then for them to be undisturbed until morning and made sure Kurt was comfortable, ignoring both Kurt's difficult attitude and his own red cheek, and then they had sat in awkward silence until the food had arrived.

"Do you like it?" Blaine asked. Kurt glanced up and immediately regretted it; Blaine's face was open and earnest and hopeful, the expression far too similar to when they had first become friends when they were thirteen. "I remember how much you loved venison—"

"You abandoned me," Kurt interrupted. To his horror, his vision began to swim with tears of hurt, so he drew on the preferable anger, threw down his fork and glared at Blaine across the table. "You abandoned me and you're – what – the Crown Prince?"

"No, simply one of the lesser back ups. I'm actually third in line for the throne," Blaine tried with that damned confident smile. Kurt kept up his hateful expression until the smile wavered, and he drew his hands onto his lap when Blaine reached out for them. "Kurt," said Blaine, "I am so, so sorry. Not a day has gone by when I haven't thought about you and regretted not seeing you before I left."

"How awful for you," Kurt snapped. "How terrible that you had to return to comfort and riches while some poor, pathetic peasant pines for his only friend."

"Kurt—"

"You just disappeared!" Tears began to slip down Kurt's cheeks, though he had no idea whether they were tears of anger or sadness. "I worried for weeks until I found that stupid message in the trees, and you knew I had no one! You—" He broke off, pushing himself aggressively away from the table and pacing around the room. Blaine just watched him with red, wet eyes.

It wasn't until hours later, when their food was cold and the sun had completely set, leaving the room in almost complete darkness because no one had come to light the oil lamps, that anyone said anything again. Almost from the time the sun began its descent, Kurt had slowly stopped his furious pacing and slid down a wall. Blaine had remained still in his chair, for the most part his head bowed to hide his face, but now he stood up again and handed Kurt his blanket.

"I don't expect you to forgive me," he said in a low, rough voice. "But please, consider travelling with us from tomorrow."

"Why would I—?" began Kurt, though he was too drained now to give it much bite.

"For your friend – your brother's fiancée." Kurt looked up through his eyelashes. Blaine gave him a small, sincere smile and Kurt believed he had no ulterior motives, although Blaine had always been so earnest that Kurt would have believed him anyway; there were salt stains on his cheeks and the chest of his shirt. "I apologise for eavesdropping.

"You said she had been taken by an evil warlock?" When Kurt nodded, Blaine continued, "Two other girls in the kingdom have been kidnapped by the same man in the past few months; as the third in line, I am more expendable, so the King has charged me with the warlock's capture. Since we have the same goal, perhaps you would prefer to ride with us." Blaine swallowed heavily, flicking his eyes between Kurt's, and then even quieter he finished, "And if you would prefer also, we could lend you a horse, or I could take a horse and you ride in the carriage."

If it would have been quicker to stay by himself and travel on foot, Kurt would have rejected Blaine's offer in a heartbeat; however, he was still at least three days' walk from the rumoured home of the warlock, and Blaine hadn't said for how long Rachel would be safe.

"I will ride in the carriage," answered he after a short pause. Blaine's expression remained uncharacteristically blank; Kurt wondered what he was thinking, and then he put that thought very far out of his mind.

*

They reached the warlock's territory two long, painful days later. The scouts returned as night began to fall to say they had seen the warlock himself, as well as a brown-haired girl who looked alive and well. Blaine himself told Kurt, who had spent as much time as possible alone in the carriage, and Kurt had almost hugged his old friend in relief.

That night was spent strategising. Kurt sat on the edge of the circle; he didn't have much to say, having never learnt battle strategy, and he kept finding himself entranced by Blaine; the boy – the young man, since the two were both twenty now – was a charismatic and eloquent speaker, everything one would expect from a prince, even though Blaine was not the immediate heir to the throne. He had always been wonderful to listen to when they were younger but now he seemed to draw everyone under his spell.

When they all went to bed after a hearty meal of bread and salted meat and ale, Kurt struggled to fall asleep.

*

On the approach to the warlock's cabin, Kurt was ensconced within the second line of Knights who were entering through the front door. His task was to find Rachel and get them both to safety at the camp. Blaine was front and centre to lead the charge; the memories of their childhood closeness but nothing more made his heart flutter with worry.

When they burst through the door, Blaine and the Knights set upon the warlock, weakening him so they would be able to take him back to the Royal City but also drawing his attention so that Kurt could creep around to find Rachel. He didn't get the chance, however, because she ran into the room moments after the shouting had started and threw herself in front of the warlock.

"Stop!" she cried, arms flung out dramatically.

"Rachel!" shouted Kurt. He pushed through the Knights, who had all paused in their attack since the girl was somehow blocking all clear shots, and pulled at Rachel's arms.

"No, Kurt, stop it!" she demanded, pulling herself free from Kurt and then the warlock close to herself. She turned to face the Knights and fiercely said, "I won't let you hurt Jesse."

"Rach—"

"We're in love!" she continued over him. "Jesse was cursed by a truly evil witch named Shelby, and only True Love's Kiss could set him free. That's why he was kidnapping all those girls, because he heard them singing in the forest and he was hoping they were his True Love." She sniffed, somehow sounding superior, and a small smile formed on her face. "Of course, only I can match up his musical abilities, and I am his True Love."

"It's true," piped up the warlock – Jesse, apparently – while Kurt looked steadily at his friend.

"What about Finn?" he asked quietly. Rachel's face fell, and Kurt barrelled on, gaining momentum and volume. "What about your dads? What about me and all our friends? Were you just going to let us believe you were dead or under some warlock's spell as his slave? Did you even think about us at all, or were you happy to remain a selfish little girl? In fact, how can you even trust him to be telling the truth? It doesn't take magic to mix a love potion!"

"He's telling the truth," said one of the Knights. Kurt turned his glare on her and she shrugged. "I always knows when someone's lying to me."

Kurt flipped his hand dismissively, and then looked back round to Rachel. She had gathered herself again and was looking up at Kurt with wide, pleading eyes.

"I was expecting Finn to be the one to come find me," she said, her cheeks colouring at Kurt's snort, "and I would have told him everything then, and asked him to take a message back to the village. Do you suppose you—?"

"Don't you dare ask me to break my brother's heart for you, Rachel Berry, don't you _dare_ ," Kurt snarled. Rachel was so taken aback that she physically recoiled into Jesse's chest. "I will be damned to the underworld if you don't take responsibility for your own actions – and tell Finn that you're abandoning him to his face!" Rachel now began to cry in earnest and Kurt was dimly aware that they had an audience, and a small part of him hoped Blaine was still in the room. "If your warlock doesn't have a way to magic us back to the village then I'm expecting you ready to leave in one hour."

He strode from the cottage, ignoring the impressed looks of the Knights, Rachel's distraught expression and Blaine's slowly breaking façade of control.

*

Blaine sat down next to him on the forest floor, following his lead by looking straight ahead. Kurt almost protested on the prince's trousers' behalf but the fire of his anger had burnt out and now he was left with ash and smoke instead of a heart and he didn't have the energy to care.

"When I was a young boy," spoke Blaine, "my siblings and I weren't very close so I played with the children of the palace servants. I thought of them as friends but I quickly realised that, so that neither they nor their parents would be punished, they always let me choose what we did and win games. It was easier after I began my lessons and learnt how to read books and play music but it was still incredibly lonely. Music, especially, helped me to cope and feel less isolated.

"However, when I was twelve, I was told that I had to begin preparing to be accepted as a member of the Court, and it quickly became too much for me: so I ran away. I went for weeks travelling between villages and towns. I wanted to get as far away from the Royal City as I could, in the hope that the farther I was, the lower the odds that someone would recognise me as a prince. And then, one day, I stumbled across a boy the same age as I crying in the forest."

Kurt's breath hitched. From the corner of his eye, he saw Blaine turn his body towards him though his face was turned down to Kurt's shoulder.

"He didn't know who I was; he just treated me like I was like anyone else. We became friends. We became _best_ friends. In a matter of weeks, he came to know me better than I knew myself, and I for him." Blaine hesitated, and then he said, "Within the season, I realised I had fallen in love."

Kurt gasped and snapped his head round before he could control himself. At some point, Blaine had raised his head, and now watering eyes met.

Blaine continued as if mindless to his wavering voice, "I had also begun to hear rumours of the King's Knights searching for me and I was beginning to feel guilty for leaving my family and my duty, but I loved this boy more than anything else so I began making plans to reveal my affections and get my father to call off the search.

"I had everything figured out, but then they found me. They were under orders from the King to bring me straight back home so I couldn't convince them to let me say goodbye, and I have wished every day since then that I had fought harder."

They stared at each other, Blaine waiting for a reaction and Kurt not knowing which one to go with; he could barely think past _I had fallen in love_ let alone put his own thoughts and feelings in any sensible order, and he gave up on holding back his tears.

"Kurt, please say something," whispered Blaine eventually.

Kurt swallowed, darting his eyes over Blaine's face and to his shoulders and back to his eyes. "I think," he said, trying for some semblance of voice control, "that your leaving would not have been so hurtful had I not been in love with you."

Blaine threw himself at Kurt in a tight hug as they cried the last of their tears over this pain, and that was where Rachel found them at the end of her given hour.

*

Kurt returned to the village successful in his quest, and the council hastened to throw the largest celebration the people had ever seen when they realised that Kurt had also brought along with him a prince and an envoy of King's Knights. Everyone pretended not to notice that neither Rachel nor Finn attended, despite the former being an apparent guest of honour. Kurt and Blaine kept to themselves as much as possible through the evening and redirected those in search of tales to the Knights who were happy to embellish the rather boring tale.

"So you're the reason my son was so happy those years ago," said Burt when the people began returning to their homes and they had some privacy; the Knights were lodging at the mostly unused inn while Blaine had accepted Kurt's offer to stay with his family. "And you're a prince."

"Yes, sir," answered Blaine, "on both accounts."

Burt snorted, although Kurt could see how startled he was. "There's no need to be calling me 'sir', Your – uh, Blaine. Not if we're gonna be family."

Both young men turned red and smiled shyly at each other, and Burt laughed and clapped them both on the shoulders and let them retire to Kurt's bedroom without a fuss, where they whispered love into each other's skin to the sounds of the dying celebrations.

That wasn't the end of the story; they went on to have many more adventures, and their own True Love's Kiss, and a fair number of everyfolk problems.

But they lived happily ever after, and that was all the mattered in the end.

**Author's Note:**

> A bit of an anti-climax? Perhaps. Did the background St. Berry/mushy happy Klaine ending help? (The correct answer here is 'yes and Sarah please let me worship you' but I digress.)  
> I tried to make Blaine come across as more formal after the failed peace-offering-venison so, just to satisfy me, how'd you think I do? My intention was that imply that Blaine was both trying to control his emotions and not make Kurt feel pressure or anything but (a) the general style of this is a bit more formal than I would usually use, and (b) I actually sort of talk like this myself. In real life. Out loud. So you can imagine it can be a bit hard to judge, haha. So yeah, let me know? :)


End file.
